I absolutely believe you that there are Koreans who think like what you’ve described. Tell me if I’m wrong, but these Koreans a) don’t like conservatives anyway; and b) liked the Sunshine Policy. Their skepticism is consistent with their political leanings.

If I had to put my finger on a characterization, I would say they are skeptical of the conservatives, and their support of Sunshine Policy would be that it was worth a try, though they are now skeptical of that as well. Moreover, they don’t like the left any more than they like the right, and they are probably even more distrusting of the left than the right. These are people who, by and large, voted for Lee.

My point is that these are not leftist voters by any means. They are generally moderates, or perhaps somewhat right of center. I believe they could be made interested in this as an issue, through some of the methods I described earlier, and that is one way in which they are in stark contrast with the chinboista true believers.

@Kushibo:

I absolutely believe you that there are Koreans who think like what you’ve described. Tell me if I’m wrong, but these Koreans a) don’t like conservatives anyway; and b) liked the Sunshine Policy. Their skepticism is consistent with their political leanings.

I think you have room to attack their sincerity based on the abuse of rights on their own people in previous administrations, but I don’t think you have room to say that their attacks on the North Korean government are a fresh fad.

Even if I think it’s a newfound (as in this decade) conversion, I wouldn’t go so far as to describe it as a fad. I think the concern for North Korean human rights is genuine, especially at the rank-and-file level, and it only grows more so as numbers start to grow.

And certainly I would agree that the formerly outlawed Korean Teachers Union, a major chinboista player has successfully undermined any attempts to keep South Korea’s youth from paying attention to the issue.

But I don’t think that explains all of it, and certainly not the inaction or disinterest from the middle. I do think the points I made are valid explanations for that.

Over on The Marmot’s Hole, Sonagi wrote:

Oh, that’s interesting because during the previous two administrations, there was very little reporting in the Korean domestic media about human rights or anything that might upset North Korea. Since Lee Myung-bak took office, the media have now taken off the rose-colored Sunshine glasses. The best and most original news stories about North Korea come from Japanese sources, IMHO.

Since I don’t post at TMH, I hope you nobody minds if I address this here. Sonagi, I don’t think I agree with you about conservative newspapers like the Chosun Ilbo ignoring news related to human rights abuses related to North Korea, or China. Yonhap, maybe, which would in turn affect what kind of information filters down to other papers (including the CSI), but I don’t think it’s accurate to say that it was ten years in the wilderness for the issue.

By not evaluating the views of the skeptics you are representing, you appeared not to disagree.

I don’t recall if this message appeared before or after you wrote that, but this…

I think it’s clear, however, when I say that this is “what we’re up against,” that the chinboista-influenced view is in no way my view. Joshua is right that I’m “channeling Korean lefties” (and some moderates), but it is based on numerous conversations about these issues throughout this decade.

… or later …

And again, I’m not saying that is my view.

…should have made it clear that this is in no way my view.

I did not evaluate the view I was describing because it would be a lengthy post, not a mere comment. I had meant to write somewhere that I was preparing some thoughts for such a post later on.

In fact, it seems you’re ascribing to me the viewpoint that I have described among the skeptics.”

By not evaluating the views of the skeptics you are representing, you appeared not to disagree. Your own interest in North Korean human rights has no bearing on whether or not you think Korean conservatives are fair-weather friends of North Korean human rights advocates.

I agree with Kushibo that the level of rhetoric against the North by previous South Korean authoritarian rulers is one reason why South Korean adults lack proper concern about the North. My gut feeling is that the shift in the educational system and news media and pop culture is much more of a root cause than that, however. For whatever reasons, Korean society embraced the Sunshine Policy and even today want to keep that now lukewarm good feeling alive. I’m sure fatigue in facing a seemingly hopeless situation plays a part too…

But I do wonder how much simple ignorance of the reality is at play….

I can’t even give a rough estimate right now based on what I’ve heard since returning to South Korea. It is too hard for me to imagine how they couldn’t know better than others in the world, but I’m not so sure that isn’t what is actually happening…

I guess I need some reliable surveys (with significant pool sizes) on this issue….

And I wish my Korean were close to good enough to check out South Korean high school and middle school textbooks and nightly news casts.

My apartment is in that part of town, so I would get a fairly comprehensive look at the various protests that occur on a regular basis in the downtown area from Seoul Station to City Hall and Kwanghwamun.

I’ve actively participated in North Korean human rights conferences (and would like to do so here in Hawaii for the duration that I’m here).

Anyway…

I think the S. Korean right’s view of the North isn’t new found. I think you have room to attack their sincerity based on the abuse of rights on their own people in previous administrations, but I don’t think you have room to say that their attacks on the North Korean government are a fresh fad.

If the focus is on the South Korean conservative government-types’ view of the North, the conversation has jumped a good distance from where it began, because the South Korean gov. conservatives had no part in this recent event — nor did many South Koreans of any political stripe. In fact, I’d like to know how many of the Koreans who were there were North Koreans who managed to make it to the South. If we took their numbers out of the crowd, you’d have even fewer South Koreans there…

At any rate, Joshua said he’s going to fish out a comment from the spam filter, so I’d rather forego response until that’s up, because my main point is how to get more people involved in this issue. You seem to be taking issue not just with my theory of why some are skeptical about this issue, but also with how justified or unjustified that skepticism is.

In fact, it seems you’re ascribing to me the viewpoint that I have described among the skeptics. If that’s what you’re doing, then you are missing my point and you are grossly misjudging me, and frankly I resent that. I’ve actively participated in North Korean human rights conferences (and would like to do so here in Hawaii for the duration that I’m here).

If I’ve inaccurately inferred the underlying tone of your questions, then I apologize.